Record Day at Keeneland Overshadowed by Injuries

By JEFFREY McMURRAYAssociated Press Writer LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Breakdowns - at least two of them fatal -marred a record slate of stakes races Saturday at Keeneland inwhich four horses earned automatic spots in the Breeders' Cup. Teuflesberg, the 17th-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby,pulled up short in the Grade 3 Phoenix Handicap with fractures toboth front legs. He was expected to have surgery early next week tofuse bones in his ankles, said veterinarian Alan Ruggles. The ugliest injury of the day didn't happen on the track but inthe paddock as Dream of Angels was being saddled for the Phoenix.The horse was euthanized because of severe head trauma, severebleeding and cranial and spinal cord problems. "It doesn't take a lot of force when you're a heavy animal tobe injured severely," Ruggles said. "Around Keeneland, there'sgrass and there's rubber bricks to protect the horses. But it'slike you and I, you just hit yourself in a certain way and just theforce at a certain angle can cause dramatic damage." Gold Train also was euthanized after pulling up lame with afractured right foot just past the quarter-pole in the Lane's EndBreeders' Futurity. Tracks across the country have been looking into syntheticsurfaces, in part to prevent catastrophic breakdowns, such as theone that doomed Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in the 2006Preakness. Keeneland was among the first to install Polytrack, andtrack officials said injuries were down last year. That Futurity, the highlight of a record five graded stakesraces for the Lexington track, was won by Wicked Style, who showedgood speed from start to finish. Starting from outside at the 12th post, the colt cemented hisstatus among the top 2-year-olds by remaining undefeated in threelifetime starts. "If I had a better post, I could have settled him behindhorses, but today it was either go or get hung wide," jockey RobbyAlbarado said. "When he broke so sharp, that made up our minds togo." The victory gave the George Arnold-trained horse an automaticberth in next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, whose winner is oftenthe early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Arnold said he wouldlikely keep him stabled in Kentucky right up to his trip toMonmouth Park. Albarado guided the colt to the front-running victory, beatingSlew's Tiznow by more than three lengths. On Friday, Slew'sTiznow's trainer Patrick Biancone was suspended for a yearsuspension by the Kentucky stewards for violating medication rules.He is appealing. Wicked Style paid $24.20, $10.80 and $6.40. Slew's Tiznowreturned $6.20 and $4.60, and Old Man Buck paid $13.20 to show. Purim won the other Grade 1 race of the day, the Shadwell TurfMile. The 20-to-1 shot, trained by Thomas Proctor and ridden byJamie Theriot, held off Cosmonaut by a neck to win a berth in theBreeders Cup Mile. "We had a perfect trip," Theriot said. "I never had tosteady. I got him to relax and settle." Purim paid $43.80, $16.20 and $9. Cosmonaut was $5.80 and $3.60.Shakis was $3.20. In the Grade 3 Phoenix, 14-to-1 shot Off Duty took the lead justpast the halfway point and held off Rebellion by a half-length.With Larry Melancon aboard, the colt won for the eighth time in 15starts to earn a spot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Trainer Lynn Whiting wasn't guaranteeing an appearance atMonmouth, however. "He is not nominated," Whiting said. "That would be a factorbecause it may be cost prohibitive. He's really good right now.Maybe he will make us go." Off Duty paid $29.40, $12.80 and $8, returned Rebellion returned$9.60 and $6.20, and Saint Anddan paid $4 to show. In the Grade 2 First Lady, Vacare - the second horse on theboard at 2-1 - won under Corey Nakatani to clinch a berth in theBreeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She paid $7.80, $4 and $3.40. Precious Kitten returned $4.40 and$3.20, and Quite a Bride paid $4 to show. Even-money favorite,French-bred Lady of Venice, was fourth.

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